Use much of the work you have done preparing for your baby shower
(cake, flowers, gift table, buffet table, centerpiece, name tags, place
cards, printed menu, etc.) as decoration. You do not want to overdo it
and outshine the star of the event, the expectant mother.

Baby-food jars candle holders
Directions: Clean one empty baby-food jar for each guest. Cut patterned
paper into a 1 1/2" X 8" strip. Print or handwrite name of expectant mom
and date of shower onto solid paper. Cut into a 1/2" X 8" strip, and glue
onto patterned paper strip. Then hot-glue layered strips onto jar,
overlapping ends. Add a dab of glue to the bottom of a votive candle and
place in jar. To finish, tie a ribbon around jar.

Display the Gifts-have a gift table set up with a nice table cloth and a
centerpiece that represents a baby, such as a small stroller or bassinet from
a toy store.

Display the cake, cup cakes or petit fours with your china and silverware.

Buy baby-themed confetti and lay it out in small amounts on the gift and
buffet tables.

A balloon bouquet is always a nice touch, you can display this by the gift
table or the buffet table near the drinks and cake. This same balloon
bouquet could be used to mark the house if it is not familiar to all guests,
or to designate the new mommy’s seat.

Flowers in small painted pots make wonderful centerpieces for your
tables. You can paint these to match the theme of your shower, and they
make lovely party favors for guests to take home.

Another idea is to buy the expectant mom a corsage to wear during her
baby shower. This adds to your decorations and keeps the new mommy
as the center of the show.

Print place cards on stationery that matches either the theme of your
shower, the printed menu, name tags or the invitations. You can use small
ornate frames to hold the place cards you printed, and then they become
not only beautiful decorations, but wonderful party favors as well.


Flowers




A nice bouquet of flowers is really all you need. These can go on the gift
table, or as a center piece for the buffet table. You can arrange flowers
on the table with the drinks if you would like as well. Just be sure to keep
it simple, flower are only to accent, not to steal the show.

Another idea is to buy the expectant mom a corsage to wear during her
baby shower. This adds to your decorations and keeps the new mommy
as the center of the show.

Gerber Daisy Flowers in small painted pots make wonderful centerpieces for
your tables. You can paint these to match the theme of your shower, and
they make lovely party favors for guests to take home.

set rhe date
When should the shower be held?

The best time to throw a baby shower is in the 7th, 8th or 9th
month of pregnancy, before the baby is born and while the
expectant mom has a large belly to show off. Always try to
consult with the mommy-to-be for the best date possible. She
may know of scheduling problems or possible health risks that
would make moving the date up necessary. You can always have
the shower after the baby is born if needed; a baby can be a
wonderful center of attention.



No, there do not have to be games. If the mother-to-be is older or just not into games, you may choose to have a nice dinner or tea at a restaurant or at your home. If many of the guests do not know each other, games should probably be part of the shower. This will help get guests involved and having fun. If you're not sure, discuss the idea with the mother-to-be and find out what she feels would be best.
Germ Warfare!
by Kristi Grigsby

Our first year of preschool has been everything they said it would be: full of fun, social interaction, and...colds. Now, after spending yet another week at home recovering from our most recent bout with a viral infection, Jenny was anxious to return to her classroom today.

But after fighting a seemingly unending battle of runny noses, coughs and soar throats, paranoia has gotten the better of me. Hoping to avoid exposing my child to any more viruses, I managed to stick around long enough to check out all the other children as they shuffled into the classroom this morning. I gave their noses a once-over, then listened for a cough or for the rumblings of a congestion-filled respiratory tract. Amidst my examination of my daughter's classmates, I thought to myself, I have a problem. This is not normal. Then just as I was ready to give up my self-proclaimed role of germ warrior and kiss my daughter goodbye, I heard it. From across the room came the sound of a slight cough accompanied by the chest rumblings I have become too familiar with.

"Come on, Jenny, we're going home." I wanted to sweep her up and carry her back to the car in an attempt to save her from the experience of being home sick again next week. And to save her the agony of trying to fall asleep despite the constant interruption of a nagging cough. And to save her from the constant wiping and blowing of her little button nose. And, yes, for selfish reasons, to save myself from interrupted sleep, playing doctor ten times a day, and watching more videos than I care to admit.

But it was too late. Jenny was already enthralled in play dough, and while she continued to mold blocks out of the red dough she held in her hands, she looked up at me and said, "you know what? I'm all better now. I want to stay." And she was right. She was healthy now. And I finally realized there was no good reason for me to take her home. That is, until my imagination began running rampant. I began to imagine the creepy crawly germs that the little boy's cough had spewed across the room. That one of them was gradually inching its way across the table and onto the red play dough my daughter held tightly in her hands. "AHHH! Stop it!" I demanded of myself. "This is crazy. You're being ridiculous."

Yes, I was being ridiculous. After all, this was school. And school means learning and sharing and all the wonderful things that go with it…including the spreading of germs and the unavoidable illnesses that result. It's just not realistic to think that every child should remain at home at the first sign of a runny nose. If this were the case, young children would never be out of the house! But there are a few misconceptions that parents should be aware of when deciding when it is appropriate to stay home:

1. He has a runny nose, but it's not green so he's not contagious. The fact that nasal discharge may be greenish in color may play a role in the form of treatment recommended by a physician, says Dr. Dina Badra, a Board Certified Pediatrician located in Naples, Florida. "But unless your child has suffered from a chronic runny nose such as that associated with an allergy, a runny nose --clear or otherwise -- is a symptom of an illness." Even a mild runny nose can indicate the presence of a cold virus, or be an indicator of something more severe like the Rota virus. This virus causes vomiting and diarrhea in children, yet its initial symptoms can be as simple as a slight runny nose.

2. It's just a little cough. Dr. Badra warns, "any cough should be considered a symptom of a potential viral infection." The fact that a child has a little cough is indicative that something is wrong, particularly if your child doesn't normally cough, or has not experienced an allergy or asthma related cough. Dr. Badra goes on to explain, "this little cough may very well be indicative of an early upper respiratory infection, an ear or throat infection, even early stages of pneumonia." The infected child coughs on a toy (or a park bench, or a slide, or a swing, or a grocery cart...you get the picture), the toy ends up in another child's hands, and when those hands then end up in the second child's eyes, nose or mouth...presto! By week's end, there's another sick child. And this need not happen instantaneously. A virus can linger for several hours just waiting to latch onto its next unsuspecting victim.

3. She's on antibiotics, so she's not contagious. This is true if indeed the child is being treated for a bacterial infection. For example, Dr. Badra explains that a child with a strep infection can be given an antibiotic and return to school 24 hours later without risk of infecting her classmates. However, although it is against the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics, many physicians still prescribe antibiotics for viral infections. Antibiotics do nothing to kill a virus and therefore, if your child has a virus, she may still be contagious whether or not she is receiving antibiotic treatment. Dr. Badra offers this prescription to parents: learn about the differences between bacterial and viral infections, and talk to your child's doctor about them. Understand that antibiotics should not be used for viral infections - one of those is the common cold.
Teaching your Preschooler Numbers & Concepts After Age 4
by Pat Cramer

It is important when teaching a child numbers that they not only are able to count, or recognize numbers, but that they understand the "concept" of numbers. If they do, math will come much easier to them.

Most parents teach their children to cont. But it is so much easier when teaching this skill to introduce it all AND give you and your child some time together!!!

Make a number book--sounds simple, right? Get 11 different color pieces of construction paper and 11 pieces of white paper together. Find something suitable for a cover or make one out of additional construction paper. Let your child design the cover. Pick one day of the week and set a time on that day that you and your child can work on the "number book." Be excited and be consistent to that day and time so the child can look forward to this special time with mom (or dad). Do only one number per week. Remember, you have a short attention span in your child.

On the first piece of construction paper, with a magic marker, make a simple zero. Put glue on the zero and have the child glue down pieces of rice to the number. Set aside to dry, and now you have a tactile number. Explain about zero. Let the child try making some zeros on the white paper.

The next week, follow the same procedure with the number one. On the white paper this time, besides letting the child make number ones, cut out or tear out pictures of ones, one item, etc. When these pages are done have your preschooler close their eyes and trace the numbers with their index finger as if they were making them with a pencil, top to bottom, left to right. Reinforce last weeks lesson and praise the job well done.

You can do this for all the numbers 0-10 and when you are finished you will have a cute book that you and your child can use to reinforce numbers how to make them, what they stand for and their concept. Punch holes and tie with yarn.

PLUS, later on YOU will have a treasured remembrance of the time spent with your child!!!

Pat Cramer is a former teacher in California. She has also done private tutoring for 20 years, preschool, gifted to high school. She is a grandma of one with one on the way. She can be reach via e-mail at C3035@aol.com

©2001 Pat Crammer. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.

Is My Child Spoiled?
by Pat Cramer
A dilemma facing most parents today is how to give their children the love and attention that all children need without spoiling them so that other people think of the children as "brats." Just how do you do that?
First of all, let me say that I believe there is no such thing as a spoiled child!! There are children who are overindulged in many aspects, but the term spoiled usually is used to reflect something that is rotten or needs to be thrown away. I certainly would not advocate throwing a child away!!
As parents, we need to establish a healthy balance between what our children REALLY need and what they think they want. I was raised by parents who were upper middle class. They owned their own home fully paid for, and paid cash for everything. But each time the subject came up of something I thought I just had to have, my parents told me that money was short, I'd have to go home and think about it and then they would see if they could put it in the budget!!! Now it wasn't until I was 16 and had some money saved and was going to put that towards a new car with my Mom, that I realized what exactly my parents had done. When we went to get the car, I gave my Mom the money I had saved. As we got ready to get the car, I watched my mother sit down and write a check for the full purchase price of the car, which was quite a bit more than my share. On the way home, I asked how she could do that. She replied that the money was there all along, but if you had a day or two to think about it, maybe it became not such a necessity.
It was then that I realized what a valuable lesson they had passed on to me!! And one that I in turn passed on to my family. I found that if I told the children, we didn't have the money right now, I would put it on the list, most of the time, I never got asked again!! It wasn't a necessity--it was a whim.
In short, we can either "spoil" our children by giving in to their every whim-and there will be plenty--or we can “love" our children, by making sure they have quality instead of quantity.
Pat Cramer is a former teacher in California. She has also done private tutoring for 20 years, preschool, gifted to high school. She is a grandma of one with one on the way. She can be reach via e-mail at C3035@aol.com
©2001 Pat Crammer. All rights reserved. Article used by permission
That Woman Deserves a Shower!
By Tice Swackhamer
Creator of Baby Draw, The Baby Shower Game You’ll Love to Play!
www.babydraw.com


If you’re reluctant to host a baby shower because you think they’re corny or hokey, think again. Baby showers make great memories and can be celebrated in many different ways. If you’re not into the traditional all-women’s event on a Sunday afternoon, there are plenty of other options you might consider.
Host a couple’s shower on a Saturday night. This could be a small sit down dinner or a full-blown party with a laundry list of friends. There’s no rule that baby showers need to “look” a certain way. The idea is to celebrate the upcoming new arrival and let the future mom and dad know you care. Decorate, serve food, “oh” and “ah” over presents and play a few rounds of Baby Draw. You’ll have your guests in stitches and wanting more.
Have a themed party. If the mother-to-be is from France, have a Parisian party, complete with fine pastries, cheeses, café-au-laits and music by Edith Piaf. In warmer weather you can even play a round of Petanque (lawn bowling) in the backyard. Other themes might include a Hollywood party, a 50s, 60s or 70s party, or an old-fashioned rodeo (a good time to present the child’s first rocking horse!).
Have a craft party. This can take many shapes, from making the baby’s birth announcement cards to creating a quilt to decorating the nursery. Imagine how appreciative the guest of honor would be to have furniture painted to match the baby’s room or a plaque mounted with her infant’s name. Or, with everyone pitching in, your guests could paint a unique wall mural design with a kit from www.wallnutz.com for a spectacular and memorable event.
If your friend is a collector, ask each guest to bring a gift that complements her existing set. This could include anything from Beanie Babies to silver spoons to Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. You may even want to start a new type of collection for the baby, perhaps something meaningful from the year she was born.
Or -- have a traditional party! Getting together with all of her female friends and relatives may end up being the most meaningful event of all. Laugh, play games, trade pregnancy stories and spend an afternoon bonding. Having a baby is a monumental event that should be celebrated. So, don’t be shy. Pamper the mother-to-be -- she deserves it!
Tice Swackhamer is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer and Web producer.
©2001 Tice Swackhamer. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.

Four Surefire Activities For Your Next Baby Shower
By Tice Swackhamer
Creator of Baby Draw, The Baby Shower Game You’ll Love to Play!
www.babydraw.com
Ever notice what happens the minute you mention the word “game” at a shower? A number of people groan and before you know it the room is empty. The trouble is that many of your guests have played the same games before. Let’s face it, you can only ask adults to taste baby food or measure an expectant mom’s belly so many times.
But because such a diverse group of people is often invited to a shower, an activity can play an important part in helping people get to know each other. The key is to include activities that bring people together and to introduce something new and innovative that they haven’t done at a recent shower.
Naturally, my personal favorite is Baby Draw, a picture-charades game for baby showers. The game is played in teams, fast-paced, hysterical and fun for both men and women. One person once commented, “It’s the kind of game that makes you wish you had more pregnant friends.” Baby Draw is original, but familiar enough to be quick and easy to learn.
A craft activity can be a real hit, especially if the mother-to-be has a project in mind. This might include quilting, crocheting or even decorating the baby’s room. www.wallnutz.com Wallnutz makes paint-by-number mural kits for kids’ rooms that can be done as a fun group activity. These showers are not only enjoyable but also make lasting keepsakes.
Put a twist on a few old favorites and let your creativity shine:
· Instead of asking guests to bring a photo of themselves as a baby for the “matching” game, have them bring a few photos of themselves with the mother-to-be. They can be from any time in her life, but they should be somewhat special or have a story behind them. Then, as a group, put together a memory album, add captions, decorate the album and add comments about today’s event. Have a Polaroid or digital camera handy at the party to record instant memories to the album.
· The “memory” game is another one that can be played with an original twist. Baby Cakes are unique gift baskets for moms shaped in 1, 2, 3 and 4 tiered “cakes.” Packed with diapers and other essentials, this makes a very impressive and practical gift that doubles as an activity. Just remove the contents for everyone to see, return the items to the cake and then ask your guests to write down what they remember seeing. It’s double the fun to play this game in teams.
A lot of hostesses stress over baby showers, particularly about how they’re going to get everyone to mingle. Games and activities are great icebreakers, as long as they’re not adaptations of the same games people played at their bridal showers! Keep your audience in mind and ask yourself -- isn’t it time for something new?
Tice Swackhamer is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer, editor and Web producer.
©2001 Tice Swackhamer. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Painted Onesies: A Creative & Alternative Baby Shower Activity That’s Useful, Too!

by Cherie Hammer
Owner of Cuddle Bug Baby Products and frequent baby shower host
I love giving baby showers! What better event in life to celebrate than the arrival of a new little one? I’ve hosted many showers over the years and early on I learned one simple fact: most people cringe at the thought of baby shower activities. Tasting baby food from unmarked jars and guessing the contents? Yuck! Playing a memory game with a tray of bottle brushes, safety pins and pacifiers? Not necessarily everyone’s idea of an entertaining afternoon.
I attended a baby shower years ago and the host did what I thought was the most brilliant and fun baby shower activity I’d ever seen: she had each guest “make” for the mom-to-be a onesie by painting them with fabric paint. The new mom picked her favorite work of art and everyone had a ball! This simple concept was not only a great bonding activity for the guests, it gave the new mom a full supply of a much needed layette item.
(For those who don’t know, onesies are cotton t-shirts that have an extra flap that comes between the baby’s legs and snaps to the front. They are indispensable items as they stay put and don’t ride up baby’s back, and are an extra warm layer of clothes, especially during the winter months.)
For this activity, you’ll need the following supplies:
• Onesies, enough for 1-2 per guest. I’d suggest getting a variety of sizes from newborn to 24 months (available usually in packages of 3 at baby stores or in the baby section of larger department stores such as Target or Wal*Mart.)
• 6-10 bottles of fabric paint in various colors (available at craft or art supply stores. Just make sure it is marked as “fabric” paint, so it is permanent). One little bottle per color is usually sufficient.
• Pieces of cardboard or tag board cut large enough to slip inside the body-section of each onesie.
• A door prize for the winning artist.
Before the party, slip a piece of cardboard or heavy paper inside each onesie to prevent paint bleeding through the shirt. I always paint one shirt ahead of time to provide guests a little encouragement. Set up a table with chairs off to the side of the party with the shirts, paints and sample shirt.
As each guest arrives at the party, invite them to paint a shirt sometime before the end of the party. Let them know the mom-to-be will be picking her favorite and a prize will go to the winner! It usually takes one brave person to break the ice, but I find once one person starts, everyone soon joins in the fun. As people chat and visit, people seem to naturally gravitate to the table in groups of two or three to paint their shirts. Assure guests that they don’t necessarily have to be Picasso to participate! They can just paint a pretty abstract design, or even just letter a funny comment or phrase.
Once all the shirts are completed, invite the mom-to-be to look at all the beautiful creations and select a favorite (sometimes the hardest job of all!). Then present the “winning” guest a door prize (I usually give a bottle of wine, gift certificate to a local restaurant or small gift basket of bath soaps).
One critical thing: fabric paint takes 24 hours to fully dry and smears quite easily when wet. As the shirts are completed, carefully move them to a place they can lay out and dry without touching each other or folding. I usually tell the mom-to-be I’ll deliver them to her in a few days after they fully set.
Every time I have hosted a shower where I did the onesie painting activity, it has been a great success. The guests loved the idea of doing something special for the mom and not having to play silly games. The moms were thrilled by these special gifts. Every time for the next two years they pulled a onesie out of the drawer, they thought of their special shower day and the dear friend or family member who made the shirt.
I can’t think of a better way to shower a new mom and welcome baby!
Cherie Hammer is a mom and business owner in San Mateo, California.
©2001 Cherie Hammer. All rights reserved.
Do-it-yourself Party Favors and More…
By Tice Swackhamer
Creator of Baby Draw, The Baby Shower Game You’ll Love to Play!
www.babydraw.com
Taking care of the party favors and prizes for the shower you’re hosting can be simple and fun. Your guests aren’t coming to the shower to walk away with armloads of gifts, so small mementoes that cost very little are fine. The same party stores that carry goodie bag items for children’s birthday parties sell a wide assortment of key chains, candy, mini pacifiers, pens, magnets and more. Another solution is to make your own favors:
Print up some “Certificates of Merit” for game winners. Depending on the games you play, these can be for the person with the best memory, best guess, most hysterical drawing and so on. Be creative and come up with certificates most suitable to the games you’re playing. Leave a blank line on the certificate for the person’s name.
Print out and laminate your own bookmarks. These can be as elaborate as a collage of photos (people, animals, nature…) or just designs from clip art.
Homemade cookies, brownies or other sweets wrapped in translucent wrapping paper present very nicely as a prize or favor. Popcorn also works, and for the more ambitious, homemade jams or breads are welcomed prizes.
Have a Polaroid or digital camera on hand and take photos of the prizewinners with the guest of honor. Each prizewinner gets a photo to take home.
If you have children who enjoy making jewelry, have them create an assortment of beaded jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and key chains (just add a key ring on one end). Place all of these in a basket by the door and let your guests pick their favorites.
Create small gift baskets with soaps, lotions and potpourri.
Find terrific ideas for more prizes, party favors and gifts at the following Websites:
“Baby Cakes” are unique gift packs made to look like cakes. There are two distributors for this product. One is Baby Cakes which takes phone orders at 1-800-586-7604. The other has a web site for ordering at Baby Cakes Inc. at www.babycakesinc.com.
www.babyts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv Baby Ts offers gift certificates for their personalized designs on infant t-shirts, sweatshirts, rompers, teddy bears and T-shirt gifts for the whole family.
www.bridesandbabes.com/page5.html Brides and Babes baby shower favors include unique Bubble Gum Buddies, Baby Candy Climbers and sachets scented with baby dreams fragrance.
Baby Matters offers a software tool for recording information about your baby and being able to create a permanent record of this information. Available through www.parentingsolutions.com/welcome/welcome2.htm Parenting Solutions.
http://starbooks4u.com/ Star Books carries personalized books where the child becomes the star of the story along with their favorite characters. More than 25 titles available.
Tice Swackhamer is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer, editor and Web producer.
©2001 Tice Swackhamer. All rights reserved. Article used with permission.

Yet with all that being said, it is true that in most instances, colds are unavoidable. A child is contagious during the incubation period - the period of time that passes before any symptoms become visible. There's nothing like the dreaded feeling of calling a friend who came over for a play-date yesterday and delivering the news, "Jenny woke up sick today. I'm really sorry if your child gets sick." I don't like making those calls any more than I like receiving them, but circumstances such as this are an inevitable part of raising children. And while many instances are not preventable, there are habits you can instill upon your children to help them stay healthy. Doctor Badra offers the following advice:

· Teach your children to wash their hands with plenty of soap and water.

· Don't allow your children to share cups with others.

· Teach your children to blow their nose with a paper tissue, then promptly throw it away.

· Encourage your children to keep their hands off their eyes, nose and mouth.

· Wash toys with warm, soapy water.

· Teach your children to sneeze into a tissue or into the shoulder rather than on others.

· When possible, keep the windows in your home open to allow fresh air to circulate.

· Wipe germs from high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, etc.

· Make sure your home is smoke-free.

OK, so maybe there is a bright side to all of this. Maybe all those people who keep telling me, "at least she's building up an immunity" are right. Dr. Badra notes that the average child under the age of five may have as many as eight to ten colds per year. By adolescence, this number drops to two or three colds per year. Perhaps with every cold my child suffers through, I should be chalking it up to one less cold she may have to endure next year. And I should be thankful that it is, after all, just a cold.

Kristi is the mother of two young children, and cofounder of the Send A Child A Smile program www.SendaChildaSmile.com – a program that delivers “smiles” to children in need.

©2001 Kristi Grigsby. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.



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Activities to Grow On: Ideas for Enjoying Summertime with your Children
by Kristi Grigsby

School’s out and summer’s here! The kids are home….ah, yes, the kids are home. But as many parents know, this “honeymoon” can end much too quickly - and before you know it, you may find yourself counting down the days till September!

So what can you do with all that time together? Of course, there are the usual summertime activities: swimming, vacations, picnics, family reunions, playing in the sprinklers, etc. But in addition to these favorite standbys, the folks at Sunsational Kids (http://www.SunsationalKids.com) have been busy collecting lots of free activities and ideas to fill your summer with fun!

Arts and Crafts are always a fun way to enjoy the cooler indoors with your little ones. One of our favorites is hand print art. This is fun for kids of all ages and the finished products make great gifts for loved ones, and lasting memories of these cherished times. Stock up on some fabric paints and/or markers (available at craft stores), paper plates, lots of wipes - and let the fun begin! Choose an item to paint such as a white T-shirt, canvas tote bag, beach bag, tablecloth, etc. (Incidentally, a decorated tablecloth or sheet is great to use for a picnic!)

Spread the paint around a paper plate, then dip your child’s hand in and rub around until it’s fully covered. Gently keep hold of your child’s hand and press firmly down on the fabric. Still holding their hand, lift and wipe hand immediately. Don’t expect perfection – your shirt may have smudges and smears, but that’s OK. The flaws add character to the finished product! Repeat this process for each new color. Don’t forget to add your child’s name, age and date to their creation with scribble paints or a fabric marker. If your child is too young for this activity, or you’re uncomfortable using paints, use fabric markers and trace around their little hands. The effect is the same – lasting memories of those sweet, tiny hands!

If you really need to cool off, your kids will love helping out with this five-minute ice cream recipe. Items needed include: 1 gallon-sized ziploc bag; 1 quart-sized ziploc bag; milk; sugar; vanilla; salt; ice.

· STEP 1: In the 1 quart-sized bag, put 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla.

· STEP 2: In the gallon-sized bag, put 1/3 cup salt and ¾ of the bag filled with ice cubes.

· STEP 3: Place the smaller bag inside the larger bag (make sure the seal is tight!). Shake vigorously for 5 minutes. ENJOY!

Another great idea to break up the monotony is to let your child be “boss for the day.” Now, we’ve collected lots of great ideas that my four-year-old daughter and I have both enjoyed trying. But, when I read this idea to her, her eyes lit up and she excitedly said with a smile, “yeah, mommy, lets try that one!” If we attempt to put ourselves into their little shoes, we can imagine that it must get pretty tiring listening to things like, “clean up your room,” “put your shoes on, we’re going to the store,” or “no, you don’t need dessert tonight” day after day after day. While we firmly believe parents should maintain an upper hand on schedules, routines and discipline, we also have seen from experience what a difference this idea can make.

Once in awhile, you may enjoy letting your child be the boss, or as well call it, “Queen/King for the Day.” Let them plan out their meals (within your guidelines), decide where you will go during the day, choose the activities, etc. An entire day may be too long for some children, so you may want to experiment with an afternoon. Make sure they’re old enough to understand, however, that this day will end and things will resume back to normal tomorrow!

Summertime is no time to place scholastics on hold. Even preschoolers can utilize this time together to build their knowledge.

· Trips to the library and reading adventures are great for kids of all ages.

· Take a hike through a forest (or even your neighborhood) and collect leaves, bugs, flowers, or other forms of nature. Work with your child to locate their “treasures” in an encyclopedia or on the internet to learn more about them. Younger children can bring home their treasures and glue them onto a piece of construction paper. Talk to your children about the dangers of poisonous plants and insects found in your area, and teach them to identify (and to stay away from) these species.

These ideas, along with many more, can be found in the “Fun (and Free!) Activities With Kids” section of http://www.sunsationalkids.com.

Kristi is focusing her efforts on her family, as well as www.SendAChildASmile.com. The Send A Child A Smile program was developed to bring a smile to the face of a child who may not be feeling too special - whether it be from an illness, from a loss, or from another life event. She writes as a hobby.

©2001 Kristi Grisby. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.



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“I found out about your company and products when I received some burp cloths, blanket, and the cloverleaf blanket for my own baby last year. I love the way your products are constructed and the fact that they are unique. I'm buying this blanket for a good friend whose baby is due next month. I'm sure she'll love it as much as I love mine!”
Karen, Homer Glen, IL
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CUSTOMER COMMENTS

“Hi, I just received my order today and I love it! I'm expecting my 1st child in early November and knew this was something I wanted for his nursery. I had no problem with your web site and found it very easy to maneuver and view your products. The ordering was a breeze. I found out about your products from my first Parents magazine. I will definitely be referring your web page to my friends and family and look forward to ordering more items for upcoming baby showers! Thank You!”
Jana
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Do-It-Yourself Kid’s Rooms
by Becca Williams, creator of WallNutz Paint By Number Mural Kits
www.wallnutz.com
So you want to decorate your child’s room, but you aren’t Martha Stewart, an interior decorator isn’t in the budget and ordering an entire room out of Pottery Barn Kids isn’t feasible either. There are plenty of unique and inexpensive ways to create a fantasy room for your child, and the first step in your planning is to pick a theme.
Theme
While determining the theme seems like the easy part, it is worth taking some time to think about. Selecting a character like Pokemon is just fine, but consider that three months from now your child may demand Scooby Doo and you’ll have an ongoing battle about how you just redecorated. Three months is forever to a young child!
Think about using color palettes as a theme, rather than specific characters. “Primary colors” can be a theme, with wall hangings, curtains and comforters to match. Or try a topic that can grow with your child. For examples, a room done in a “Jungle” theme can work all the way from a nursery into a room for a 9-year-old child.
Walls
Once your theme is chosen, it’s time to start decorating. The four walls of the bedroom are empty canvases for your creativity. Some simple but impressive decorating techniques can turn plain walls into works of art.
A solid color of paint can go a long way in changing a blah white room into a cheery environment. Remember that small hands leave prints and these will be much easier to clean off if you use a semi-gloss paint rather than flat. Once you’ve painted, add inexpensive wall hangings. Find posters from children’s museums, libraries and bookstores then mount the posters onto foam board with re-positionable adhesive spray. Both foam board and spray can be found at any craft supply store or order online at www.joann.com.
Or add even more zip by painting a mural on the wall. You don’t have to be Michaelangelo to do this—look for paint-by-number kits like the ones offered by WallNutz with great scenes of a cow jumping over the moon, picket fence flower gardens or cars, trucks, trains and airplanes.
Be brave with paint! Try doing some faux finishing on your walls. It’s easy to paint a base color, then dampen a natural sponge, dip into the second color of paint and dab lightly on the walls. And hey, if you don’t like it, just paint over the top!
In addition to painting, wood accents can add a nice touch to a wall. For example, wainscoting or plate rails are easy to install. Paint the wood white or match other trim in the room, then nail into place with carpenter’s nails. Plate rails are also functional; they make a wonderful display area for pictures or to store children’s books.
Furniture
Planning furniture for a nursery can be a challenge for many new parents on a budget, but get creative and your investment will last you and your child forever.
Let’s start with the crib. You can buy cribs that range in price anywhere from $100 into the thousands of dollars. This may truly be the most expensive, but worthwhile place to put your money when decorating. Ask yourself if multiple children will be using the crib, because it may be worth spending a few hundred dollars to purchase a sturdy version. Some cribs also offer convertible features, where they will turn into a toddler bed, then a daybed or even a queen sized headboard and footboard. Generations offers this style of crib for around $600. When you consider the cost of replacing furniture several times throughout the growth of your child, this type of investment makes a lot of sense. Not to mention that Generation furniture is beautiful and may someday make a cherished family heirloom to hand down to your grandchildren.
Don’t overlook garage sales in your search for furniture. Often you can spot a real find in an old, beat up chest of drawers. Paint the chest with a high gloss paint and replace the hardware with some cute handles found at your local hardware store. Or better yet, order the adorable knobs that are offered by Tot Dots with animal faces smiling happily back at you!
Also, look for dual function in furniture pieces. Instead of a changing table, find a dresser that is about waist high. Buy a changing pad to sit on top (less than $20) and fill the top drawers with your diapering necessities. Keep the pad from slipping by placing a small bath mat with rubber backing facing down between the pad and dresser. The dresser will convert to a functional chest of drawers once your child is out of diapers.
Window Treatments
Now window treatments are a place where you can really save money by doing the work yourself. Here are some options:
Take a metal curtain rod and place adhesive backed Velcro all along the length of the rod. Take opposing side of the Velcro and stick varying lengths of ¼” to ½” wide ribbon vertically and touching side to side, along the adhesive. You can use the same color of ribbon or alternate colors. The ribbons will flutter in the wind when the window is open to entertain your child.
Another inexpensive way to make curtains is to use twin sheets for the fabric, since sheets often go on sale. (This method is also helpful if you can’t find any curtains to match a store bought comforter.) You do need an iron and sewing machine, but only need to know how to sew in a straight line. Just cut the sheet in half horizontally and hem raw edges of each piece. Fold over the tops (side you just hemmed) by 4”, then iron to form crease. Sew a seam 1” from top all the way across. Then sew a second seam 5/8” from the bottom of the folded section. Repeat process for second piece of fabric. Slip a curtain rod through the pockets you’ve created and bunch the fabric together so that both pieces fit on one rod. Tie the fabric in the middle with a bow made from 1” or larger ribbon.
© 2001, WallNutz LLC. All rights reserved. Article used by

Wow ‘Em With Walls!
By Becca Williams, creator of WallNutz Paint By Number Mural Kits
www.wallnutz.com
When decorating your child’s room, don’t overlook the largest surface in the room – the walls! They are empty canvases for your creativity. Some time and a few dollars can turn those blank walls into works of art.
· Hang inexpensive wall art. Find posters from children’s museums, video rental stores and bookstores and mount them on foam board. You can have this done by a frame shop, or purchase foam board and spray adhesive at a craft supply store and do it yourself.
· Take pages from old children’s books or calendars and place them in inexpensive frames.
· Frame your child’s artwork. She will be proud to know that you think her art is good enough for a permanent decoration. If your child is too young, use artwork that you and your spouse did as children.
· Hang a colorful quilt on a wall. Attractive quilt clips are available through Pottery Barn Kids.
Paint is also an extremely cost effective way to change the look of a room. A bright solid color of paint can go a long way in converting a blah white room into a cheery environment. When selecting paint types, semi-gloss is your best bet for easily wiping away little hand prints. The following are techniques to get even more creative with paint.
· Naturally, I think murals add a special touch to a child’s room. My company, WallNutz (www.wallnutz.com), provides paint-by-number mural kits for those artistically challenged parents. Painting a mural can be a weekend fun project for the family, since kids as young as six can help. Most of the murals are inexpensive as well – you can buy the kit, paints and brushes all for less than $50.
· Try sponge painting on your walls. It’s easy to paint a base color, then dampen a sponge, dip into the second color of paint and dab lightly on the walls. And hey, if you don’t like it, just paint over the top!
· Use chalkboard paint on one wall. Tape a rectangular area that is 4’ in length by 3’ in height, with the bottom starting 2’ from the baseboards. Fill in with green or black chalkboard paint from a craft store.
· Magnetic paint is also available (www.kling.com), although a more expensive option than most paints. Follow the instructions above for the chalkboard, substituting magnetic paint, and you’ll have a fabulous place for displaying your child’s artwork.
In addition to painting, wood accents can add a nice touch to walls. For example, wainscoting or plate rails are easy to install. Paint the wood white or match other trim in the room, then nail into place with carpenter’s nails. Plate rails are also functional; they make a wonderful display area for pictures or to store children’s books.
Whether you’re doing a complete room makeover or sprucing up older decor, it’s worth spending time and a little money to add some WOW! to your walls.
© 2001, WallNutz LLC. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.

Keep the baby theme going with baby-size food. Mini quiches, tarts and tea sandwiches are all suitably sized main dishes.

Pair your entree with a fresh salad featuring baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and small, flavor-packed pomegranate seeds. For dessert, serve petits fours and mini cupcakes.

For nibbling throughout the party, put out bowls of tiny snacks like pastel-colored candies, olives, assorted nuts, grapes and raspberries.

http://www.evite.com/app/party/ideas.do
More Baby Shower Info
Ideas for prizes
The most important thing to remember when picking door prizes and give-aways at any baby shower is to make them fun, not necessarily extravagant. Little gift certificates from your favorite shop or bakery make great gifts. Candles, lotions, books, and other fun items can also make a splash.
Thank You Notes
Most mothers-to-be are way too busy at a baby shower having fun to try to remember every item that is given to them and by whom. When the mother-to-be is opening the shower presents, have someone at the party jot reminders on a sheet of paper indicating who gave what. Another idea is to have everyone at the party write their address on a thank you envelope. You can even make a game out of it (each guest can draw a envelope out a hat - mark one envelope as a door price winner). Both of these ideas make it a lot easier for the mother-to-be when she's writing those important thank-you notes.
The appropriate time for a baby shower
There really is no set time for a baby shower. Most baby showers occur in the last trimester of the mother-to-be's pregnancy, however this isn't a golden rule. Some people even have baby showers after the baby is born.
Who puts on the baby shower?
Normally a family member on either the father's side or the mother's side throws a baby shower for the expectant mother. However, in today's world, it's really acceptable for any person close to the mother- to-be to throw the baby shower
Italian Baby Names
Many Italian baby names are listed below. At MyBambino.com we create great personalized gifts for babies and the entire family. We work with baby names all the time and understand how important choosing your baby's name is.

Boy's names

Adalfieri - Noble Oath, Adrian - From Adria a Northern Italian City, Angolo - Angel, Anastasio- Resurrection, Angelo- Messenger, Arrigo - Estate Ruler, Augustus- Worthy of Respect, Belvedere - Beautiful to See, Benedict - Blessed, Benvenuto - Welcome, Biagio - Stutterer, Bonadventure -Blessed undertaking, Bravo - Excellent/Courageous, Celesto- Heavenly, Carlo- Charles, Dante- Everlasting, Dino- Small sword, Donato- Present, Elba- Place in Italy, Enrico- Leader of the House, Enzio- Ruler at home, Enzo- To win, Ezio- eagle, Fiorello- Little Flower, Gaetan- Area in Italy, Gino- Living forever, Giovanni- God is good, Giancarlo- John and Charles, Iago- Grabs by the heel, Julio- Roman clan name, Leonardo- Bold as Lion, Lorenzo, Luciano- Light, Nuncio- Messenger, Orsini- Bearlike, Orlando- Famous Land, Pino- God will add, Primo- First son, Renzo- Laurel, Romeo-Pilgram visiting Rome, Silvio- Forest, Tomaso- Twin, Ugo- Intellect,Umberto- Famous German
Girl's Names
Adriana- Black Earth, lda- old, Albina- White, Aria- Melody, Balbina- Stutterer, Bambi- Child, Benitri- God has blessed, Bianca- Whit, Caprice- On a whim, Cara- Dear, Carina- Darling, Carla- Woman, Dalmassa- Area in Italy, Donna- Women of the home, Enrica- Leader of the house, Fabrizia- One who works with hands, Fiammetta- Sputtering flame, Filippina- Lover of horses, Fortunata- Roman goddess of luck, Gaetana- Area in Italy, Gia- Queen, Giacinta- Hyacinth, Gianina- God is good, Giovanna- God is good, Guida- guide, Ignazia- On fire, Imelda- Embracing the fight, Julietta- Downy, Louiza- Famous soldier, Lunneta- Moon goddess, Marinna- From the sea, Mia- Mine, Roma- Rome, Serena- Serene, Valeria- Strong, Zaira- Princess, Zola- Piece of the earth
Irish Baby Names
Many Irish baby names are listed below. At MyBambino.com we create great personalized gifts for babies and the entire family. We work with baby names all the time and understand just how important choosing your baby's name is. If you would like us to add any more names, just e-mail them to us.
Boy's names
Achaius- Horseman, Adamnan- Little Adam , Aidan - Warm, Arlen- Oath, Baird- traveling singer, Barra - Fair Head, Beacan- Small , Beanon - Good, Brendan - foul smelling hair, Brennan- raven, - Stutterer, Brone -Sadness, Caelen- Powerful warrior, Caffar- Helmut, Cahir- Warrior, Camey- Champion, Carney- Champion, Casey- Observant, Dempsey- Proud, Delany- Child of a competitor, Donovan- Dark , Eoin- God is good, Farrell- Courageous man, Finnegan- Fair, Gale- Foreigner, Glen- narrow valley, Grady- Famous, Guthre- Windy area, Harkin- Dark red, Kearny- The winner, Keeley- Handsome, Kennedy- Helmut head, Kevin- Handsome, Logan- Hollow in a meadow, Mackensie- Son of a wise leader, Magee- Son of Hugh, Patrick- Nobleman, Quillan- Cub, Quinn- Wise, Rafferty- Prosperous, Regan- Little King, Seamus - He who supplants, Sean- God is good, Shank - God is good, Tadhg- Poet, Tiernan- Little lord, Tyrone- Land of Owen, Uinseann- On who conquers
Girl's Names
Aidan- Fire, Aisling- Dream, Aibblin - bright, Aithne- Small fire, Barran- little top, Beatha- life, Berneen- Strong as a bear, Bidelia- strong, Bride- Irish goddess of poetry and song, Caolifhionn- thin and fair, Casey- Observant, Ciara- Black, Darci- Dark one, Decla- Of the family, Derry- Red haired, Dooriya- Ocean, Eadoin- She has lots of friends Eibhlin- Shining ,bright Eileen- Shining, Flanna- red hair, Keara- Dark, Kelly- Female soldier, Labhaois- Famous in war, Mackenzie- Daughter of a wise leader, Maeve- Delicate, Mona- Noble, Mugain- Slave, Sorcha- Clear
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